Merchant

The Hebrew word so rendered is from a root meaning "to travel about," "to migrate," and hence "a traveller." In the East, in ancient times, merchants travelled about with their merchandise from place to place ( Genesis 37:25 ; Job 6:18 ), and carried on their trade mainly by bartering ( Genesis 37:28 ; 39:1 ). After the Hebrews became settled in Palestine they began to engage in commercial pursuits, which gradually expanded ( 49:13 ; Deuteronomy 33:18 ; Judg. 5:17 ), till in the time of Solomon they are found in the chief marts of the world ( 1 Kings 9:26 ; 1 Kings 10:111 Kings 10:261 Kings 10:28 ; 22:48 ; 2 Chr. 1:16 ; 1 Kings 9:101 Kings 9:21 ). After Solomon's time their trade with foreign nations began to decline. After the Exile it again expanded into wider foreign relations, because now the Jews were scattered in many lands.